At 100 years old, he joined the army in place of his granddaughter, and became a national war god.

The hidden arrow pierced the air silently, moving at incredible speed and angle, heading straight for Ye Qingzhou's back.

Su Mu sat on the edge of the boat, his hunched body motionless. Only his right palm, hidden in his sleeve, moved slightly, and an invisible force silently surged out.

The palm strike arrived from a distance, like a gentle breeze across water, striking precisely the shafts of the three hidden arrows.

"Snapped!"

The three arrows shattered simultaneously in mid-air, breaking into several pieces that fell into the water, splashing up a few tiny droplets.

Hearing the strange noise behind him, Ye Qingzhou turned around abruptly and saw the broken arrow fragments floating on the water. His pupils contracted sharply.

A chill ran down his back.

Someone is stabbing us in the back!

If someone hadn't shielded him, he would probably be lying in a pool of blood by now.

His gaze swept quickly around, pausing briefly on Su Mu and the others.

The white-haired old man was leaning against the gunwale, his cloudy old eyes gazing at the distant reeds, as if he hadn't noticed what had just happened.

Several young people nearby were either watching the commotion or whispering among themselves; none of them seemed capable of making a move.

"Who is it...?"

Ye Qingzhou pondered to himself, but before he could think further, the sound of splashing water came from the reeds.

"Whoosh!"

Three figures emerged simultaneously from the reeds, treading on the water's surface as they approached.

All three were skilled in footwork; one of them could even take seven or eight steps on the water without sinking, demonstrating an astonishing level of swimming ability.

The three landed on the deck of the passenger ship and surrounded Ye Qingzhou.

Two men and one woman, each holding a weapon, with sharp eyes and an aura of killing intent.

Standing on the left is a burly man with broad shoulders and a full beard, carrying a heavy-handled water-splitting axe.

His name is Hong Lang, nicknamed "Angry Wave Mountain Cleaver". He is the leader of the Three Fiends of Cold Water and possesses astonishing brute strength.

On the right is a slender man, half a head shorter than the average person, but he exudes a strong and capable air.

He held two short, poisoned water spikes in his hands, their tips gleaming with a ghostly blue light; they were clearly deadly weapons.

This man's name is You Jiuqian, nicknamed "Water Demon at the Bottom of the Pool." He is an unparalleled swimmer, capable of diving for an entire incense stick's time without taking a breath.

They would secretly drill through the bottom of enemy ships to launch underwater attacks and seize people by the throat; their methods were extremely insidious.

Standing at the very back was a woman with a cool and aloof face and a slender figure. In her hand she held a light naval longbow, the bow arm made of specially treated water bamboo. The quiver contained more than a dozen bone-piercing water arrows with flat and sharp arrowheads, specifically designed to penetrate light armor in naval battles.

Her name is Leng Xi, nicknamed "Chuanbo Hanling". She is skilled at standing at the bow of a speedboat, specifically targeting the helmsman and lookout, and blocking the merchant ship's retreat route from a distance.

The Three Fiends of Cold Water are the strongest water assassins under the command of Thousand Waves Fortress.

Ye Qingzhou laughed and said, "Who do we have here? It's the Three Fiends of Cold Water."

"Wen Jiuyuan really went to great lengths to kill me, Ye Qingzhou."

Honglang slammed the water-dividing axe onto the deck with a muffled thud, and the deck trembled slightly.

He sneered, staring at Ye Qingzhou, his voice rough.

"Ye Qingzhou, you can't escape now."

"With the three of us attacking, you are destined to lose."

"Those who know what's good for them will obediently surrender and come back to Qianlang Fort with us, so as to avoid suffering physical pain."

Ye Qingzhou straightened his back and gave a cold laugh.

"I, Ye Qingzhou, have never learned how to write the word 'surrender' in my entire life."

"You three Fiends of the Cold Waters have been running rampant on the water for years, and you really think you're something special? You want to beat me, the White Streak in the Waves? Not so easy!"

Before he finished speaking, his figure flashed, and like a fish, he glided towards the gunwale. He lightly touched the edge of the gunwale with his feet, and then flipped into the air and fell towards the water.

"Trying to run away!"

You Jiuqian chuckled sinisterly, then ducked down and plunged into the water like a dark shadow.

He is the best swimmer among the three; underwater is his true domain.

Hong Lang and Leng tide did not go into the water, but stood on the boat, blocking Ye Qingzhou's possible route to board.

Underwater, a silent battle is unfolding.

After entering the water, Ye Qingzhou moved like a fish returning to the sea, his body incredibly agile underwater.

He paddled with both hands, his body twisting and turning, truly like a fish in water.

You Jiuqian pursued relentlessly, thrusting out his poisoned water thorns repeatedly, but each time he missed by a hair's breadth, and Ye Qingzhou dodged them.

The two fought underwater for dozens of rounds, exchanging blows and splashing water, making the current beneath the boat turbulent.

After several exchanges, Ye Qingzhou seized an opening in You Jiuqian's defenses and delivered a heavy punch to his chest.

You Jiuqian groaned, exhaling a string of bubbles. His body tumbled several times in the water before he managed to steady himself, his face turning ashen.

He was injured in the internal organs by Ye Qingzhou's punch. Although it was not fatal, he dared not approach rashly again.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Ye Qingzhou surfaced, poking his head out of the water and gasping for breath.

But before he could board the boat, the floodwaters had already begun to rise.

Hong Lang didn't chase after Ye Qingzhou. Instead, he strode up to the boatman, grabbed the terrified boatman, lifted him up like a chicken, and held the water-splitting axe to his neck.

"Ye Qingzhou!"

"Come up here! Or I'll chop him up with an axe!"

Ye Qingzhou suddenly stopped.

He stood in waist-deep water, his lower body submerged and his upper body above the surface, water droplets running down his hair.

He looked at the boat owner who had been grabbed by Hong Lang, at the face contorted with fear, and gritted his teeth.

"Hong Lang, you've been on the water for years, aren't you ashamed to try and blackmail me with a mere boatman?"

Hong Lang laughed loudly: "Shameful? I only care about results, not the process! Are you coming up or not?"

The boat owner was trembling with fear, his voice shaking: "Master Ye... Master Ye... help me..."

Ye Qingzhou walked step by step toward the ship's side, grabbed the railing with both hands, and climbed onto the deck.

He was still dripping wet, but his eyes showed no fear whatsoever.

"I'm up here, let him go."

Hong Lang scoffed, tossing the boat owner aside like trash: "You really think you're loyal? You'd risk your life for a mere boatman?"

He swung the water-splitting axe violently, the back of the axe slamming heavily into Ye Qingzhou's chest.

Ye Qingzhou's body flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing into the cabin door and rolling to the ground, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.

Hong Lang walked up to him, looking down at him with disdain.

"What 'White Streak in the Waves'? He's just a reckless fool who doesn't know his own limitations."

Ye Qingzhou raised his head; although he was covered in wounds, his gaze remained firm.

"My Qianlong Village has signed a contract with them. As long as they pay the toll on time, my brothers in Qianlong Village will protect them."

"Once a contract is signed, it must be kept."

"You people who only know how to use underhanded tricks will never understand."

Hong Lang's face darkened, and he raised the water-splitting axe.

"Enough with the nonsense, prepare to die!"

The axe blade gleamed with a blinding cold light in the sunlight as it cleaved toward Ye Qingzhou's head.

Ye Qingzhou looked at Hong Lang, ready for the final battle!

"Yun Chuan".

"You can make your move now."

Xiao Yunchuan had been waiting for these words for a long time.

He suddenly stood up, drew his long sword, and with a light step, his figure swept across the deck like an arrow, the sword light flashing like a bolt of lightning, aiming straight for Hong Lang's back.

Hong Lang felt the sword wind behind him, his pupils suddenly contracted, and he had no choice but to abandon his fatal blow to Ye Qingzhou and block it with his axe.

Sword and axe clashed with a crisp clang, sparks flying everywhere. Hong Lang was jolted back two steps, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

He looked at the young swordsman in front of him with utter astonishment.

"Who are you?"

Xiao Yunchuan did not answer, but simply held his long sword horizontally in front of Ye Qingzhou.

"When you see injustice on the road, draw your sword to help."

"You river bandits, robbing people in broad daylight, and you want to kill them?"

"Ask the sword in my hand first!"

Then, Xiao Yunchuan took the initiative and attacked Hong Lang!